Kaoru's Haunting Past
by whimsical-nightmares
Summary: Kamiya Koshijiro and his wife have a history that comes back to haunt Kaoru and because of this, an old acquaintance comes back and Kenshin is… jealous! Will Kaoru be able to overcome this on her own or will the rurouni come to her rescue?
1. Prologue

Kaoru's Haunting Past

Disclaimer: I'll just have to say, Japanese and drawing really is not my forte…

Summary: Kamiya Koshijiro and his wife have a history that comes back to haunt Kaoru and because of this, an old acquaintance comes back and Kenshin is… jealous? Will Kaoru be able to overcome this on her own or will the rurouni come to her rescue?

**Before You Read Please Note!**

1. So whenever Kenshin says 'I' please remember that he refers to himself as 'sessha' meaning 'this unworthy one. '

2. If there's an asterisk (*) next to Kenshin's 'I' it means he's using "ore", a more aggressive and masculine way to refer to himself.

3. Kenshin also uses the verb "de gozaru" which is an ending meant to be formal and respectful and it doesn't have an exact translation to English. So I'm just going to leave that out of the writing because I find it weird to read "de gozaru" after his dialogue and annoying with "that I do/should/would/could/ect" after his parts.

4. This takes place right before the Enishi arc… I'd say this occurs about 8-12 months before. I felt like Kaoru deserves a deeper past like the others and have a story that centers on her.

5. There are notes at the end of the section that describe the choices I made while writing. They're informative, but some of the meaning also tie in with the story.

6. That's all I wanted to say! Please enjoy now ^^

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><p>It was one of those rare peaceful days at the Kamiya dojo. The skies were a clear blue, birds were singing, and the soft scrapping sound of a broom against a wooden floor could be heard from within. Kaoru, who was humming happily to herself, was cleaning the training room in her training attire and occasionally stopped to savor the moments of quietness and serenity around her for she had the house to herself, something that hasn't occurred in a long while.<p>

When the clock struck noon, Kaoru stopped cleaning and headed towards the kitchen. _Hm… how wonderful! I can make anything I want without having to hear insults from those certain individuals, _she mused to herself. _The Akabeko is busy enough today for Tae to ask for Yahiko's help and Sanosuke dragged Kenshin to see something 'real nice'… whatever that means. Megumi-san's at the clinic since Dr. Gensai took Ayame-chan and Suzume-chan to visit a friend in a neighboring town. Everyone sure is busy today. Well, I better get to work too! _

The young girl set about making lunch and silently ate on the porch in front of her room while watching a couple of squirrels play tag in the courtyard. _Sigh. It certainly is quiet... if only Kenshin were here too, then it'd be the perfect afternoon, _she thought to herself while looking up at the cloudless sky. Suddenly, a sharp _fling_ was heard and an arrow was shot into the wall behind Kaoru, barely missing her right cheek when it flew past. Dropping her bowl and chopsticks, she jumped into a defensive stance and shouted, "Who's there?" into the empty yard. Scanning the area with her eyes, she saw someone in the tree to her left. Gracefully, she jumped off the porch to pick up a fist sized rock, flinging it towards the shadow. It hit him on the foot as he tried to avoid the oncoming object and fled from the estate.

Sensing the unwanted presence gone, Kaoru looked back at the arrow and saw a note tied to it. She removed the paper and read the short message that was written within. A cold wind blew through the dojo as Kaoru dropped to her knees, her eyes filled with terror and sorrow.

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><p>End of Prologue. Following chapters will be much longer.<p> 


	2. Morning

It was the next morning when Sano and Kenshin arrived at the dojo. "Tadaima," said Kenshin as he walked through the door. They were greeted with a frantic Yahiko who rushed to the entrance as soon as he heard someone coming in.

"Oh. Okaeri Kenshin, Sanosuke. Ne, have you guys seen Kaoru when walking home?" he inquired.

"Oro? Kaoru-dono is not present?"

"Yeah. Actually I think she hasn't been home all night. But I didn't know 'til this morning 'cause I came home late from Akabeko last night and all the lights were out, so I assumed she went to bed. But when I went to wake her up this morning, I saw a tray with half finished side dishes and a bowl of rice and chopsticks on the floor beside it, like it was dropped. I checked her room and it looks like it hasn't been used at all. Then I heard you guys coming back."

A dark shadow crossed Kenshin's face while Sanosuke commented, "Jou-chan probably got scared of her own shadow since she was home alone and then went to a friend's house or something."

"Kaoru-dono was… home alone?" asked Kenshin in surprise.

"Yeah," answered Yahiko, "I went to help at Akabeko all day yesterday."

"And Dr. Gensai went to visit a friend with his granddaughters," finished Sano.

"I should have stayed with Kaoru-dono then instead of going with you…" Kenshin replied glumly. The rurouni felt guilty for leaving Kaoru all by herself and with the evidence that something might've happened to her did not help at all. "We should go look for her!"

Yahiko nodded in agreement, but once the three were about to depart and start their search, Kaoru walked through the door, head hung low with her bangs covering most of her face. She was wearing the same thing as she did yesterday, with the exception that her outfit was much dirtier.

"Kaoru!" shouted Kenshin and Yahiko simultaneously while rushing towards her.

"Where were you?!" asked Yahiko.

"Kaoru-dono, did something happen to you?"

"Yo, Jou-chan glad you could make it home," said Sanosuke.

"Eh?" Kaoru looked up to see her friends standing in the doorway. "Oh. Okaeri-nasai. When did you guys come back?" she asked with a quizzical look on her face, her voice sounding as distant as her eyes looked.

"Hah?" gawked Sano in surprise, "We should be saying that to you, Jou-chan."

"Yeah, are you alright Kaoru? Where have you been?" questioned Yahiko.

"Yes, I am alright. I just went to see Dr. Gensai. Something came up," she replied.

"What? Isn't Dr. Gensai in another town?"

"What's so important that you have to go running off without cleaning up? You always tell me to clean up whatever I'm doing before I leave for somewhere; don't go back on your word. "

"Oh… it… it was just something really important so I needed to go right away. I'm sorry, Yahiko, for being hypocritical. I will… eh… I'll clean it up after a bath."

"I'll heat the water for you, Kaoru-dono," Kenshin finally spoke. He was observing Kaoru and noticed that she was rather remote and her ki was filled with nervousness instead of her usual bliss. _Something is definitely bothering her._

"N-N-No that's okay Kenshin!" Kaoru said frantically while backing away towards the bathhouse. "I can manage, so don't come! Okay?" Quickly, she turned on her heel and disappeared around the corner, leaving behind the stunned trio.

Kaoru fetched the water from the well and began to heat the tub. Once the fire was started, she went inside the bathhouse and stripped down her dirty attire. Slipping into the warm water, she signed and let her mind wander back to yesterday.

_Flashback_

After reading the note, the first thing Kaoru needed to do was see Dr. Gensai. _Mou! Of all times he leaves town now! _She quickly locked the gates to her dojo and ran towards Namekawa. She reached the town two and a half hours later and then went about to look for Dr. Gensai's friend's house after recovering from her long run up against a sakura tree. Searching up and down the streets of Namekawa, she finally found the house close to the outskirts of town. Before she reached the entrance, the door opened and Dr. Gensai stepped out, smiling gleefully like he always does.

"Dr. Gensai!" Kaoru called.

"Kaoru-chan? My, my, what brings you all the way here to Namekawa?" the doctor asked with surprise.

"I need to discuss something important with you. It's…It's about father and him. He's alive! Oh what should I do?" She covered her face with her hands as a wave of fear crashed through her.

"Oh dear! Kaoru, please come in and sit down first. Tell me everything that happened." They went inside to the guest room where the mistress of the house kindly handed them some tea brewed with wild celery.

"This will help you, Kaoru-san," said the lady, "It'll ease your mind a bit. I'll leave the two of you alone now, but please call me if I'm needed. I will try to help to the best of my ability."

Kaoru thanked her for her kindness and slowly sipped the beverage, taking in the aroma and calming her mind so that she can be sure to tell her story without breaking down. Then, she began. Dr. Gensai listened to her attentively and gasped when she revealed the note that had came flying past her with the arrow. "I'm still so confused," said Kaoru, "That's why I came all the way here. You've known my parents since they were young so I figured you must know more than I do. Why does he still seek vengeance against the Kamiya name? Had something happened in the past?"

"I will tell you Kaoru. But please calm down first." Kaoru did not realize her death grip on her hakama, turning her knuckles as white as the light of the moon; her whole upper body was trembling. She released her hands and took the tea near her face, inhaling the aroma of wild celery.

"Okay. Dr. Gensai," she whispered, "Please tell me what happened."

"Yes… it is finally time for you to know more about your parents' past."

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><p>[Namekawa is a real place. It's about 6 miles away from Tokyo, reasonable enough to run to, ne? ^^ And I found out "kawa" means river and that's going to be seen again during Dr. Gensai's story.<p>

The aroma of wild celery is said to have a calming effect on people who are filled with tension or are restless. It was the one most compatible with the situation.]

Tadaima means "I'm back" and is said when one has returned to their home.

Okaeri/Okaeri-nasai means "Welcome back"

To the next chapter…


	3. Sweet Dreams

Kaoru's train of thought broke when the steam in the bathhouse became too smothering to stay in. Unwillingly, she stepped out of the tub, dried herself, and put on her sleeping yukata. Braiding her hair while exiting the bath, she walked towards her room and sat on the porch, staring absentmindedly into the sky. Kenshin came around the corner and was surprised to see Kaoru in such a depressed state. "Oro?" he said, "Kaoru-dono, why are you in a sleeping yukata? Lunch is ready to be served, I made gyūnabe."

"Thank-you Kenshin, but… I'm a little tired and don't have an appetite right now. Please eat without me. I'll rest until dinner."

Kenshin, sensing Kaoru's unsaid wish to be alone, nodded and said he'll make dinner a little earlier tonight. With that, he returned to the dining room to inform the others that the mistress of the dojo will not be joining them for lunch.

Surprisingly when Kenshin entered the dining room, Sano and Yahiko were quiet and actually waited for Kenshin's return instead of digging into the extravagant lunch he made. Kenshin, who now has confirmed that something is definitely wrong with Kaoru, just told the guys to eat.

"Jou-chan isn't coming?" exclaimed Sanosuke, "But isn't gyūnabe her all time favorite? Heck we even waited until you guys came back to start." He was already scarfing down the food when he made that exclamation. Yahiko did the same thing as well, but was concerned enough to at least ask whether or not Kaoru was okay. Kenshin just nodded while slowly chewing the tofu and enokitake.

After Kenshin had left, Kaoru went to her room and unrolled her futon to lie upon. Her mind wandered back to Dr. Gensai's story and soon fell into a restless sleep.

_The dream…_

Kiyoko is seen in a red kimono printed with golden marigolds which was tied together with a deep magenta obi dotted with scabiouses. She appeared to be waiting for someone, even though she was strolling along the bank of the river, coming to a rest next to a sakura tree that was in full bloom. Suddenly, a pair of rough hands covered her eyes gently, making her gasp at the touch. "Guess who?" the figure whispered cheerfully into her ear.

Kiyoko giggled as she turned around and took his hands into hers. "Ko-shi-ji-ro~" Pronouncing every syllable with a smile. "Mou where were you? You said to meet you here after noon, but you're late!"

"I'm sorry my love. I had a little delay when coming here. Will you forgive me?" asked the man who was dressed in a dark aqua yukata.

"Always," and with that she gave him a peck on the lips. "So what did you want to tell me?"

Koshijiro only smiled as he led her towards the bridge that hung majestically over the river. "Remember how we first met here?" Kiyoko nodded at that memory on the bridge. "You were running away from your father because he wanted you to go to a marriage interview. Since you were only 16 then, you didn't want to meet up with the man he set you up with, even though he had all the talent, looks, and money. I was walking home after a meeting and then I saw you on the bridge against the sunset, the warm colors of the sky highlighting that light blue kimono of yours. It really was beautiful…" he said, staring off into the distance, mesmerized by his memory. Koshijoro continued, "When I walked up to you and asked if you were okay and needed an escort home, you freaked on me and actually fell over," the man chuckled and looked at Kiyoko, who in turn blushed furiously.

"Cheh, you were the one who scared me," Kiyoko defended.

"Haha, well you sure didn't look scared when I found you in this river. In fact, your ki was so red it almost made me want to turn around and pretend I never saw you!"

"Well you didn't. Instead, you helped me out of the river like a gentleman and even invited me over to your house to stay for the night after knowing I didn't have the wish to return home."

"Yes, and after that we talked throughout the night, exposing all of our concerns and secrets to each other even though we just met."

"It really was something. I've never felt like that around anyone, even my own parents. I've always kept everything bottled up until that night." Her eyes glistened with the emotions she felt on that day. "But you know, I still can't believe you actually convinced me to go through with the marriage interview just to make up with my father. If I hadn't met you and fallen for you by then, I would've actually agreed to it."

"Hey you never told me that before! I really am a lucky man to be able to meet you before he did, aren't I?" Koshijiro smiled and walked over to Kiyoko, taking her hands into his. "And because I've met you and you stayed with me, my life has changed drastically. If it weren't for you, I'd be in the military right now. If it weren't for you, I wouldn't have been able to tell my father what I want to do. If it weren't for you, I would have never discovered a way to protect without killing. You are what I live for. You hold my heart in these delicate hands," he gripped onto her hands tighter and continued, "Kiyoko, I love you. Will you accompany me by my side, forever?"

Tears welled up in Kiyoko's eyes once she registered his words and she couldn't say yes fast enough. She embraced the man before her to make sure she hadn't been dreaming and when she felt him do the same, her heart surged with love and comfort.

While the couple exchanged their vows of love and made plans when to tell their family of the news, a man in a green hakama stepped into the scene, causing a shift of the wind from a gentle breeze to a roaring gust. He had followed Kiyoko around for almost two weeks now, unable to forget how he was rejected by this insolent woman; how a lowly Kamiya samurai can even be considered his rival. His mind blazed with fury when he heard the acceptance of the proposal and couldn't hold back any longer. He needed to punish the two for trampling on his pride.

"Katsu!" gasped Kiyoko when she saw the man coming towards them, an aura of malice surrounding his ki as Koshijiro noted. "Wh-What are you doing here? I thought you went back to Nagasaki to inherit the estate!" The wind and river howled in unison as Katsu grew closer, Koshijiro took on a defensive stance with Kiyoko behind him.

"Inherit the estate?" growled Katsu, "And what? Let the two of you live happy lives while my pride is being spat upon? Let me rule the estate, lonely and without a loved one? Hah, as if I would let you two carry on with a happy family. Unless… unless you would reconsider my offer and choose me instead. Yes, that's right, come to my side and we shall inherit the estate together and build a powerful samurai family." His eyes grew wild with insanity and possessiveness, causing a slight tremor to run down Koshijiro's spine.

Kiyoko gasped, "Katsu, I'm very sorry. I did not realize my rejection of your proposal would do that much damage to your pride. But is there a need to go to such extremes? Please, maybe we could settle this…"

"Settle it? Settle it over what? Some sake and hope I'll forget about everything? You amuse me Kiyoko," Katsu spat her name as if it was some vile venom.

"No! Of course not! Katsu I mean that we… I mean my family… possibly compensate," Kiyoko could not gather her thoughts and Koshijiro eventually stopped her attempts at conversation, telling her the man was now possessed by the envy and pride he held close at heart.

"Katsu," Koshijiro said sternly, staring at said man in the eye, "It is undeniable that Kiyoko has hurt you in more ways than one when she rejected your proposal and is now accepting mine. But, it is not that she isn't hurt too. She loved you as well and to have to choose between us almost broke her."

"Then why! Why did she choose you and not me? Why can't it be me who is by her side to make her happy? I love her just as much as you love her and I can give her more than you can and I know her as well as you do! So why not me?"

"Because!" screamed Kiyoko as she finally broke out of shell, "Because Koshijiro can make me feel happiness without money. He has high views of human life and won't hesitate to help others. He doesn't care about status or image and once he sets his mind to accomplish something, he does it wholeheartedly!" Kiyoko stepped out from behind Koshijiro. "You? All you want is more money and more power and I feel so constrained around you. Yes, I did love you because you were adventurous and wanted to make big changes in Japan but all there were were ambiguous ideas and none was ever put to the test. If you truly did love me, you would've realized how uncomfortable I was whenever you were around and how my mind wandered elsewhere. You would've listened at least to my opinions but you wouldn't even pause for a breath. And now you say you know me as well as Koshijiro? What do you know about me besides my name and the fact that I am a merchant's only daughter? Do you even know my birthday?" Katsu stared blankly at her, the color on his face switching between white and red, his hand inching towards the katana at his waist. "Koshijiro is the only one who is meant for me and that's why I choose him."

Koshijiro could not believe the woman in front of him. She had subdued the violent aura Katsu was emitting before with just her words. Any skilled swordsman would have all predicted that a fight would be needed to stop the man.

Once Katsu recovered from Kiyoko's abrupt bluntness, something in him shifted. The wind blew harder, causing sakura petals to swirl around the trio and fall into the river. "I see then," began Katsu slowly, "You and I were never meant to be. You had already loved another when you met me. But mark my words; you will pay for deceiving me, the both of you. One day, I will cast more grief and pain on you than you have upon me." With that, he stalked away, leaving behind an aura of lust filled vengeance.

* * *

><p>Nobuo = trustworthy, faithful<p>

Katsu = victory

Gyūnabe = hot pot with beef and tofu and all that fun stuff

Enokitake = long thin white mushroom

Kiyoko – the manga/anime I don't think mentions the name of Kaoru's mother so I decided to use Kiyoko which means a "pure child".

Red means danger, passion, and lust

Magenta can neutralize disorder and violence

Gold promotes courage and willpower

Marigold means grief and despair

Scabious means unfortunate love

Sakura tree symbolizes the bond between humans, courage, sadness and happiness as well as life and death.

The river symbolizes the fact that the world and the people around you move on and continue to live, as should Katsu.

The sakura tree is a Somei Yoshino. It blooms at the beginning of spring, symbolizing the beginning of something as well as the end because the flowers begin to shed.

Aqua means high ideals. Perfect for a man who came up with the idea of katsujin-ken (sword that protects life)


	4. Entrance

Light poured through the shōji in Kaoru's room, highlighting the patterns on her futon and face. The room was peaceful and still until Kaoru shot up with one hand covering her face. Beads of sweat rolled down her jaw as she shook from the fear that grew from within. _So… vivid, and similar to Dr. Gensai's story about the love triangle between my parents and Katsu. But it's still not the story… _She removed the hand from her face and used it to caress the arm that was supporting her weight. _What do I do?_

Kenshin had been up since the crack of dawn, walking around the perimeter of the dojo because he felt uneasy. _What is bothering Kaoru-dono? I wish she would tell me. I want to help her. _The rurouni continued his pondering until he reached Kaoru's room for the fifth time. He stared longingly at her shoji, unconsciously wishing that one day, he would have the courage to go through it and hold her, comfort her through her tough times. If he had lingered longer, that wish could've came true for then, Kenshin would've heard Kaoru's sudden gasp and the abrupt fluctuation of her peaceful ki.

Kaoru slid open her shoji and stepped out into the morning light. Sighing and stretching her arms upward, she inwardly hoped for the day to go by peacefully without questions and strode towards the training room. Yahiko was already there, practicing his strokes, when she stepped through the door.

"Yahiko? Why are you here so early?"

"Oh you're finally awake, busu. Good morning!" the young student greeted. "Hurry and come over here! I have something to show you." The assistant master walked over to her student, subtly tracking the flow of his ki for fluctuations that would mean a sudden attack. Suddenly, the student's bokken came crashing down towards Kaoru's left shoulder. Kaoru barely managed to dodge the attack; she skidded to a stop a few feet away from Yahiko. _His ki remained constant…_

Kaoru straightened up and questioned, "Yahiko, when did you learn how to hide the fluctuations in your ki?" Her brows furrowed.

"Kenshin taught me last night and I practiced 'til dawn. Haha I think I should be called a prodigy now!"

"Mou, more like Kenshin is a good teacher," Kaoru playfully slapped boy's arm and the two laughed, the sound ringing throughout the practice hall. The cheerful atmosphere was hastily stopped when an alien ki was felt and a shadow fell through the door.

"Who are you?" Yahiko asked as he took a defensive stance in front of Kaoru. The man at the door merely smiled and walked closer. The pupil switched into offense and prepared to jump at the intruder, but was stopped when Kaoru placed her hand on his shoulder.

"You need to learn how to keep your ki under control during times like these, Yahiko," she said to the boy and then turning to the man, "And you sir need to learn how to knock so you won't surprise the ones who don't know you, Nobuo." She walked towards Nobuo and gave him a quick slap to the shoulder. In turn, he picked her up and hugged the living daylights out of the poor girl!

"Kaoru! It's so good to see you again!"

The girl laughed and said, "I know! Hey can you put me down now? Or else…" she was interrupted by a certain rurouni who just came back from buying tofu. Kenshin had been alarmed at the unfamiliar presence within the estate and followed it into the training hall. He became quite worried since he knew Kaoru and Yahiko would be there at this time of day and knowing this, he immediately flew to the building. The first thing he saw was Nobuo spinning Kaoru around and although this was an innocent act of friendliness, to Kenshin it was far too intimate and it angered him to see another man hugging Kaoru so closely.

"Put her down," Kenshin growled and he shot Nobuo a deadly glare while his arm unconsciously reached for his sakabatou. Nobuo instantly dropped Kaoru to the ground, but instead of backing down like any typical guy in Japan, Nobuo took an offensive stance in front of Kaoru and even told the girl to take the child and run! Kaoru moved between the two men and opened her arms to protect Kenshin from Nobuo.

"STOP! Nobuo he's harmless! And Kenshin," she called over her shoulder, "He's an old friend."

"Harmless?" questioned Nobuo as he gawked at the girl, "Any sane living thing would know this guy is far from harmless. He looks as if he's ready to kill anything standing in his way! Move Kaoru, I'll take care of him." Yahiko coughed in an attempt to hide his snicker in the background.

Kaoru did not budge. "Nobuo, stop. He is harmless." The man remained unconvinced so Kaoru continued, "If you don't believe me then maybe you should go take a walk and cool your head."

"I'll go when he goes."

"Then I'll go to the kitchen to prepare breakfast," said Kenshin calmly, amused, and contentedly grateful, at the fact that Kaoru took his side.

"Excuse me?" Nobuo looked at Kenshin as if he was crazy, "I meant you should live this place and go home."

"That would be rather impossible because… he is home," smiled Kaoru as she looked at Kenshin gently. Kenshin returned one to Kaoru, a surge of happiness running through him. _Thank-you, Kaoru-dono_, he thought.

Nobuo remained confused and stared questioningly at the two. He walked over to Kaoru, took both of her hands in his and said, "Well, if there is any trouble, you can always come to me." He leaned closer while Kaoru awkwardly agreed and tried to pull away. She was extremely grateful when Kenshin placed an arm around her shoulders and moved her away, breaking Nobuo's hold. Instead of letting his arm drop immediately afterwards, Kenshin held Kaoru closer and tighter as he smiled at the man and said, "Nobuo-san, I do not mean to reject your offer to protect Kaoru-dono but as long as I'm here, Kaoru-dono will be under my protection so please do not worry." A blush rose to Kaoru's cheeks and so she hid her face in Kenshin's gi to hide the smile that crept to her lips; she could hear his heart skip a beat.

"Well, Kaoru is this what you really want?" inquired Nobuo, his brows furrowing.

"Yes, it is," answered Kaoru as she slowly separated herself from Kenshin, "now can we just catch up as friends without fighting? I'd love to hear about your trip to Hokkaido." Nobuo froze for a brief second, a moment even Kenshin barely noticed, and then agreed to the girl's offer. "Alrighty then, Kenshin, if you would be so kind to prepare some tea for the four of us while I go change. Nobuo you can go wait in the dining room and Yahiko, tidy up in here before coming. Oh this is going to be great!"

And so, Kenshin, Kaoru, and Nobuo exited the training hall while Yahiko stayed behind to wipe down the bokkens and put them away. The student was rather excited to attend the miniscule gathering, something that was rare for the young boy. _Oh boy! I wonder if Kenshin will get jealous again…keh I bet if Sanosuke were here right now he'd bet me 150 yen that a fight would break out over busu. _At that thought, he hurriedly too made his exit.

Hehehe teatime in the next chapter! I feel all giddy just thinking about writing the next chapter! What do you think will happen? Would it be too OOC for Kenshin to be jealous and such? Please give me your thoughts! I really appreciate them! ^^

Note: By the way, Kenshin taught Yahiko how to control his ki after Kaoru went to bed. He went to sleep (barely) and then woke up to walk around and check on Kaoru. Just in case the beginning was confusing ^^.


	5. Stories and Teas

Note: Nobuo is using "ore" which is a way of referring to himself in a masculine, informal way. When Kenshin is talking and there is an (*) after his 'I', that means he's referring to himself as "ore" instead of "sessha."

Also, in Japan, the formal way of sitting on the floor is to sit on your feet so your knees are touching the floor. (the name given to this formal way of sitting is Seiza)

Glossary:

Kotatsu – the table that has a futon (blanket) surrounding the rim (in the story the thing that's suppose to be in the middle is removed because it's some time in spring)

Suisen – a.k.a. the daffodil; in Japan, it means respect

Shion – _Aster Tataricus_; they are miniscule flowers that have yellow centers with many long, thin purple petals.

_Note: I'm using the Japanese terms for these flowers because it would be… odd and confusing to write out names like Aster Tataricus_

Gold (color) – evokes the feeling of prestige

Dark purple – evokes gloom, sad feelings, causes frustration

Tamaryokucha – type of Japanese green tea with a tangy, berry-like taste with a long almond aftertaste. It has an aroma of citrus, grass, and berries. Has a floral fragrance.

Drusies – a black gem stone that's sparkly. It's seriously sparkly.

Hokkaido – one of the four main islands of Japan. It is the one farthest to the north.

Honshu – one of the four main islands of Japan. It's the largest and the one with Tokyo on it.

Nobuo entered the dining hall and seated himself at the kotatsu, his back facing the screen door that separated this room from the next. He began to slowly drum his fingers on the sleek wooden surface as he looked around and slowly took in the familiar surroundings. At the far left corner from where he sat, there is an old bookshelf filled with detailed journals of the Kamiya Kasshin Ryuu. On the spacious middle rack were golden suisens complimented with deep purple shions in a decorative vase made of clay. It gave light to the old, yellowing books and highlighted Kaoru's respect for her father's style. Nobuo smiled gently and wondered where Kamiya-sensei was. _Hm… could he be out at the moment?_ He shifted his attention to the opposite corner for there was something there he could not recognize. On the wall hung a black and white photograph of Kaoru and three other men. _Oh! So Kaoru has discovered photography! My, that certainly is an interesting photo. _The visitor chuckled to himself and continued his observations. His black eyes fell on the all too familiar dent on the wooden floor implanted about 2 feet away from where he sat. _Ah, how nostalgic. The dent I made with my elbow when we last fought…_

Nobuo's pondering was interrupted by the opening of the shoji as Kenshin stepped in with a tray of tamaryokucha, Yahiko following behind with a tray of rice and fried fish. "Yahiko, please go and get the rest from the kitchen," Kenshin said whilst moving the items on the tray onto the table. The young boy nodded and quickly exited with the empty trays. Kenshin then sat across from Nobuo and served the tea. The visitor got a whiff of the aroma and wrinkled his nose.

"What kind of foul-smelling poison are you serving to me?!"

"Oro?" the rurouni stared with wide-eyes at the visitor, "This is not poison. This is Kaoru-dono's favorite, tamaryokucha. She likes the taste and the floral scent."

"Don't joke with me! No way in hell would she like something like this!"

"I am sorry, Nobuo-san, that you find this tea distasteful." Kenshin fought the urge to correct the younger man now and decided to allow Kaoru-dono to prove his statement wrong. He didn't want to fight with the man again in fear of upsetting the girl. Instead, Kenshin tried to create small talk and asked, "What kind of tea is your preference?"

"What I like is none of your business." Nobuo crossed his arms across his chest and glared at Kenshin. This man was starting to annoy the passive rurouni. After all, no matter how patient Kenshin was, he was still a human with limits.

In reply, Kenshin plastered on a mask to hide his irritation and just smiled. At that moment, the shoji slid open and Kaoru stepped in wearing a pastel yellow kimono and a striped, pink obi; Yahiko trailed behind her, carrying the tray of vegetables and miso soup.

"Kaoru!" Nobuo's dark face fakedly brightened and stood up to greet the young girl. "My, you look like a real beauty in a kimono! I bet all the boys in town try to court you, huh?" he exclaimed teasingly. Kaoru replied with a blush, a giggle, and denied the man's joke.

Seeing Kaoru blush and giggle at Nobuo's words made Kenshin squirm on the inside. _Is what Nobuo-san said really true? People are courting Kaoru-dono? Why is Kaoru-dono reacting like that? _Kenshin couldn't comprehend the turmoil in his heart. Instinctively, he showcased his infamous rurouni smile and scooted over to let Kaoru sit beside him. To his dismay, Yahiko plopped down at the newly opened space; Kenshin swallowed his surprise and mechanically distributed the food. When he looked up, he saw Kaoru sitting opposite from him; her body turned slightly towards the center of the kotatsu, but her sapphire eyes were following Kenshin's movements. She shifted them to the side when they met violet ones and a splash of pink colored her cheeks. Unconsciously, Kenshin responded with an adoring smile, his chest swelling with an odd, but pleasant emotion.

The group began to eat after saying "Itadakimasu!" Kenshin had to swallow his laughter with the rice halfway through when Nobuo gawked at Kaoru drinking the tea happily. It was near impossible to not snicker when Kaoru half forced the beverage down Nobuo's throat and he had to pretend he liked it just so she would stop.

Once they finished, Nobuo started his story of his trip to Hokkaido (so that he could avoid another generous cup of tamaryokucha from the girl). "So it took me two weeks to get to the island by boat and thankfully was it a nice one else wise I would not have survived! Wh-"

"When did you leave for the trip?" interrupted Yahiko.

"Oh I left after I got thrown out of the dojo, but I already had plans of going so it all worked out fine. Anyways…" Nobuo continued his story in a strong tone, a tone that did not permit any disruptions.

As the man told his story, Kenshin gazed at Kaoru and fixated his attention on her. He noticed how her cheeks weren't as profound as they were before (probably due to her lack of appetite over the last few days), but still colored the same way that took the rurouni's breath away. It always reached past her cheeks and down her long slender neck, disappearing into her kimono. Her blush would highlight whatever color she was wearing and make her seem brighter. In retrospect, Kaoru would look like a figure in a painting, the focus and desire of the artist. Sure, her lack of natural elegance and years of kendo training made her movements boyish, but it refined her figure and Kaoru actually emitted this subtle, feminine aura that Kenshin found himself drawn too. He wondered if that was a natural trait of hers, like one of an alpha female, and the longer he stayed, the more prominent the feeling became. The rurouni would've been perfectly content to watch Kaoru while tuning out the noise that spewed out of the visitor's mouth for the next hour or so, but with Nobuo invading her bubble just a bit too frequently, Kenshin could not calm his heart down. To be honest, he envied Nobuo's ability to get so close to Kaoru within being blinded or intimidated by her brightness.

Then, Kenshin's body seemed to move on his own as he tried to distract Kaoru so that she would notice him. He shifted his weight and moved his feet from under his body and sat cross-legged. Slowly, one foot began to inch forward until it brushed the bottom of Kaoru's knee. His heart skipped a beat at the contact and he quickly retracted his foot.

Kaoru, who had been listening intently to her visitor's story, felt the immediate electricity run from her knee up to her torso when she felt something brush against her. Her attention was diverted to the man sitting across the table and wondered if that was Kenshin's foot for she noticed he was no longer sitting in _Seiza_. Sensing nothing profoundly strange in his ki, she ignored it and tried to concentrate on Nobuo's story. As he went on about some great hike up the mountain with the goats, Nobuo placed one arm around Kaoru's shoulders and pulled her in towards him, rather roughly as Kaoru noted, and tried to make her see the view he had in his mind. It was then that Kaoru felt the same spark that ran from her knee to her torso and quickly, she peeked at Kenshin, whose violet eyes bore into her sapphire ones. She had to suppress the shudder that appeared within her chest and gently pushed Nobuo away for she knew it must've been uncomfortable for Kenshin… and Yahiko to witness that childhood intimacy she shared with Nobuo. She moved a few centimeters farther away from the storyteller and refilled empty teacups. As she sat back down on her feet, Kaoru felt the familiar sensation again, but this time, it lingered instead of vanishing right away. She looked up at Kenshin and he was looking at her. Before he averted away with a subtle blush, Kaoru could've sworn that she saw minute specks of amber behind the purple of his irises and for a moment, she thought it was jealousy, possessiveness, and desire that hid within his eyes.

"And so, as I was in search for the ruby butterfly in the northern part of the island…" This part of Nobuo's story particularly caught Kaoru's attention.

"You were in search of the ruby butterfly too?!" interrupted Kaoru.

Nobuo gave her a displeased expression before answering, "Oh, so you know about the ruby butterfly?"

"Yes! Before my mother died, she'd always tell me how much she wanted to see one and if lucky enough, own one. It wasn't until a few years ago that I discovered how rare and expensive the accessory was. Did you ever find it?"

"If you hadn't interrupted me, you would've found out sooner… but no, I did not actually find the ruby butterfly. I only found the person who used to own it and she had given it away to someone else. The old woman told me she gave it to a man who wanted it to win the heart of the woman he desired. But of course, you can't really expect to believe a spoiled old hag."

"I do not wish to interrupt," said Kenshin, "but could Kaoru-dono or Nobuo-san tell me what exactly is the ruby butterfly?"

Kaoru was the one who answered since Nobuo gave the rurouni a scoff. "It is a silver hairpin in the shape of a butterfly which is made up of rubies and black drusies. It's said that there are only five in the whole world and one of them is in Japan. I've heard stories of how only the past empresses or someone within the Royal Family owns it and passes it down generation after generation, but then during the Bakumatsu, the empress who at the time owned it, gave it to her servant and told her to hide herself and the hairpin in Hokkaido. 'Once the war is over and the Royal Family regains control,' the empress told the servant, 'I will come and find you and bring the both of you home.' A few weeks later, she was assassinated and it's said that the butterfly is passed down within the servant's new family and they are waiting for someone to bring them back to their home in Honshu."

Kaoru ended up giving the whole story behind the accessory to Kenshin and he listened appreciatively.

"Anyways…" Nobuo then continued his story after Kaoru was finished with her explanation. Yahiko, who had been bored all this time, wanted some kind of action between the two grown men. It was the reason why he was here after all. He decided to use Kaoru as the spark to the upcoming action because the young student noticed how Kenshin always tensed up in irritation whenever Nobuo got intimate with his teacher. Thus, Yahiko boldly interrupted Nobuo and asked, "So are you married yet? If not, then you should take busu away 'cause that might make her more womanly!"

Playing innocently along, Nobuo retorted, "Haha well just maybe. I mean I need someone to cook for me after all." With that he pulled Kaoru into one of his side hugs and wouldn't let her go. Kenshin's emotions soon got the better of him and he finally interjected.

"Kaoru-dono looks rather uncomfortable Nobuo-san. I'd think it'd be best if you would let her go."

Sensing the rurouni's demur and wanting to tease him a little, Nobuo responded by hugging Kaoru even tighter and said, "But I'm rather comfortable."

Kenshin's irises began to turn amber. "I* don't care about your comfort. Only Kaoru-dono's and if you don't her go this instant, I* won't hold back."

"Oh really now? Well then why don't we have a one on one and see who is more fit for Kaoru."

"That would be best."

The moment "ore" came out of Kenshin's mouth, Kaoru began to panic. _Why? Is Kenshin reverting back to Battousai?! _She finally pushed Nobuo away from her and staggered to stand up. Placing herself in-between the two men, she demanded, "STOP! The both of you!" However, they did not seem to hear her as there ki continued to rage on. The men exchanged a few more remarks and then prepared to draw their swords right then and there. In desperation to stop Kenshin from doing something he might regret, Kaoru flung herself to Kenshin and pushed him back. The tension in the room snaps and Kenshin's irises slowly returned to their purple color.

"Kaoru…dono," he whispered, "I am sorry to have caused you distress." Kenshin placed a hand on her shoulder to calm the girl who was still trembling.

Without turning to face Nobuo, Kaoru tried as calmly and steadily as she could to say, "Nobuo, I'd think it'd be best if you would leave this instant. Maybe we can meet again another time." And so, the man left after leaving a half-hearted apology and a glare at Kenshin.

"Kenshin…" Kaoru still clung onto the front of the rurouni's gi. Suddenly, she lets go and bonks him on the head while screaming "YOU IDIOT! I thought you were going to revert back into Battousai and I'd lose you. Why did you get so frustrated? Wh.. Me.. Bll… Grr.. !" Tears were trickling down the girl's face and her words were all mushed together. In embarrassment, she stormed out of the dining hall with Kenshin following behind to make sure she was okay.

Left behind was Yahiko and he cleaned up the dishes willingly. After all, the adults gave him a rather interesting act.

Kaoru fumed for the rest of the day and Kenshin tried his hardest to cheer her up. Yahiko advised him to give her some flowers and who would've thought that it would work! The mess of the afternoon was forgotten by dusk and Yahiko went to the Akabeko to help with dinner service. The duo then decided to take a stroll through the moonlit night, with Kaoru leading the way.

"Kaoru-dono?"

"Yes, Kenshin?"

"Is something a matter?"

The girl did not respond and just continued walking. Kenshin recognized where they were heading. It was the grassy area where he had bade farewell to Kaoru before leaving for Kyoto to fight Shishio. Once they reached Kaoru's destination, they sat down next to each other and looked at the fireflies.

"Kenshin…" she whispered. The rurouni turned his head to look at the girl. "If anything happens in the near future, I want you to stay out of it."

"Eh? Why is something going to happen to you?"

"Please don't worry Kenshin. I know how to take care of myself. And it's only a precaution."

"What's going on? If it's only a precaution then why can't I help you?"

"Just… something from the past is coming back. It's not a big deal though and I don't want to get you involved and possibly harmed. I don't want to see you get hurt…"

"And I don't want to see Kaoru-dono hurt either." The girl would not look up to meet his burning gaze.

"Thank-you Kenshin for your kindness, but I believe this is something I must face alone."

"Then could you at least tell me what's happening?" Kaoru finally looked up to meet Kenshin's eyes and he could see desperation and fear within them.

"It's going to be a long story…"

"We have time."

"It'll be confusing…"

"I won't mind. Just do your best and I'll be your support."

"Mou Kenshin. Who taught you that line," Kaoru chuckled jokingly to soothe the building tension.

"Ororo?!

"Well then… I guess I'll begin with the story of my parents."

Okay so I had writer's block around the middle of the story and then rushed to finish… I hope it was still alright though. Part of the true story behind Kaoru's past will be revealed in the next chapter! And it's definitely a perfect setting for some cute fluff ^^ heehee.

Hope that wasn't too OOC… and critics really help motivate me. Good, bad, any kind of comments are welcome! It helps me shape my stories better… I think.


	6. Kiyoko, Koshijiro, and Katsu

"Well then…I guess I'll begin with the story of my parents," sighed Kaoru.

* * *

><p>Kiyoko, the second child of a successful and locally well known merchant, was a beautiful raven haired girl with deep blue eyes that never failed to twinkle whenever something interested her. She had a natural gift of attracting anything and everything to her. Animals adored her. Plants bloomed at her touch. Butterflies, an insect she had a forever growing fascination for, would begin to float around her in spring as if she was the most rare and luscious honeysuckle. And of course, she also attracted most boys in and out of town. Because Kiyoko never looked especially at a boy (even though many have tried to court her beginning at the tender age of 11!), her father arranged numerous marriage interviews with men that promised her a comfortable life. However, not one has passed the father's standards for they were all too old, too dismissive, too elaborate and pious, or just not right for his special daughter. After five years and Kiyoko was now sixteen, her father finally found someone most suited for Kiyoko. He was a twenty-five year old man named Katsu.<p>

Katsu had been born into a rather wealthy family famous for their local chain of jewelry stores. Since he was the eldest, Katsu was treated as the heir to his father and was raised separately from his younger siblings. Because of this, he was arrogant, conceited, and self-righteous, but had developed a sense of great leadership and so as long as you didn't step on his heels, Katsu will treat you like a human being, especially if you are of some prestige. Therefore, he respected Kiyoko's father and showed the side of him the elder would find pleasing.

Although Kiyoko has never met Katsu before, the man has seen the girl run around town and explore every corner of it. He fell in love with her movements, so elegant and smooth unlike the rough, sharp voices of the oba-sans in the marketplace. Her dark, ebony hair glittered in the sun and the young man dreamed of running his hand through it. This desire for her grew and grew and eventually, Katsu became restless. Soon enough, he discovered that her father was a close friend of his father's and through that connection, met up with him and gained the approval.

Kiyoko's father arranged a meeting between the two at a nearby restaurant and Kiyoko and Katsu became fast friends. Over the course of the next several months, Katsu tried to win over Kiyoko's heart by bringing her into his home and showing off all of his great achievements and ideals. He drowned her in extravagant gifts and threw anything he considered womanly at her. Kiyoko thanked the man kindly every time and distributed the gifts to her friends and servants. She put up with his gloating and just smiled like a fool. It wasn't as if she didn't like Katsu, his ideals and theories interested her and so did stories about his various journeys, but his personality infuriated her. Kiyoko hated being looked at as a typical rich girl whose head is always floating in the clouds. However, she didn't dare wrong the man because she knew he was the son of her father's good friend. It would kill her to shame her father in any way, shape, or form.

But of course, Kiyoko has her limits and one day, she stormed out of his great mansion and ran to the bridge that hung over the river. She stood in the middle and cried until the sun rose over the horizon. There, was where Kaoru's parents met. Koshijiro was returning from his early morning run when he saw Kiyoko on the bridge. Raised by charitable parents whom help anyone in need, Koshijiro offered to help the girl. She got rather startled for she did not notice his presence and fell into the river. Luckily, it was tranquil in the mornings and Koshijiro was able to get her back to shore easily. From there, they walked back to his house to dry off and became fast friends over breakfast.

Soon enough, they fell in love after several meetings and Kiyoko asked her father to break off her engagement with Katsu. Although it was a little difficult at first, Kiyoko was finally free to marry Koshijiro, but a few weeks before their official engagement, the new couple ran into Katsu when they were strolling by the bank of the river.

Katsu had apparently lost most of his inheritance to his younger sibling who married first. Enraged, he wanted revenge against the couple. He demanded them to return his losses and even challenged Koshijiro to a match for Kiyoko. Koshijiro saw that Katsu had become delirious as his desires grew more and more absurd. Instead of fighting him in a bloody duel, the couple tried to verbally knock some sense into the man, but it was all in vain. Katsu no longer heard human voices and yielded to the devilish thoughts in his mind. He charged towards the couple with his sword at hand and cut Koshijiro's left forearm as he tried to protect Kiyoko. On one charge, Kiyoko fell down and Koshijiro was forced to draw his sword and suppress Katsu. Thankfully, Katsu's stamina had decreased during his fit and so his sword was easily knocked out of his hand when it collided with Koshijiro's.

The man fell to his knees, sweat streaming down both sides of his face. "Katsu-san…" said Kiyoko who had just finished attending to her lover's wounds, "Please come back to your senses. We are terribly sorry for your loss, but placing the blame on us will not make it right. If there's anything we can possibly do, we'll do our best to help."

The man threw himself backwards and cackled towards the sky. "The only thing that will help is for you to marry me. So will you now? Will you help me?" his eyes glowing eerily.

Kiyoko looked at him with wide, horrified eyes and hid herself in Koshijiro's shoulders, sobbing silently. The man will be forever broken.

After the incident, Katsu disappeared and his whereabouts remained unknown. There were rumors that he crossed the oceans, looking for adventure in the new world and more absurd ones such as he was kidnapped or murdered. Others claimed they saw him on a small boat going to Hokkaido, or was it Kyushu? Either way, all of them had no factual basis and he was soon forgotten by many of the townspeople. After all, he'd never been that popular with the common people.

* * *

><p>Kaoru sighed, catching her breath; her eyes filled with conflicting emotions. "My parents never forgot him though. Or should I say, they couldn't. Every once in a while a messenger would come with a letter or someone would be outside our door, watching our every move. There was this one time when I saw a messenger giving the letter to my father. The messanger's hands were all shaky and he kept on glancing behind him. After Father finished reading, someone broke through our door and attacked him. As frightened as I was, my body moved on its own and somehow, I managed to get my father's sword to him. The invader lost and was jailed. Afterwards, we never received anything again… That's all I know."<p>

Kenshin looked at her. He had never thought that such a strong-willed girl would have such a terrifying past. Noticing her shaking form, he placed his hand on top of hers and smiled gently when she looked up. "And now, he's back isn't he, Kaoru-dono." The girl nodded and leaned against Kenshin. He placed an arm around her shoulders and whispered into her ear, "I'll be right here if Kaoru-dono is in need of assistance. I won't let this hurt you any deeper than it has already."

"Thank you, Kenshin."

With that, they stared into the distance in silence, the fireflies twinkling around them.

* * *

><p><strong>Note:<strong> Back in the olden days… girls got married at an awfully young age thus the reason why Kiyoko is only a tween when people began to court her.

Oba-sans: old women

* * *

><p>Iris: KJFSDBF I'm so sorry for not updating for so long! I mean I had 90% of this story written, but then life decided to throw some stuff at me and I couldn't dodge them quick enough! ()'' And school finals started so it might take another while for the next chapter to be up, but my plan is for it to be ready by next week or something. Hope you liked this chapter!<p>

And I'd like to thank all my reviewers and readers! Thank you for taking the time to write reviews! I really appreciate each and every one of them! ^^


	7. Stranger Chase

Okay I'm a liar… I didn't update as quick as I wanted '' But out of the blue I got a plane ticket to Hong Kong and my life went from summer cool to plain old hectic. And since I'm going to be halfway around the world for three weeks without my laptop… well the next chapter might take a while. But hey there's no cliff-y at the end of this one :] See you guys later ^^

* * *

><p>"Thank you, Kenshin."<p>

With that, they stared into the distance in silence, the fireflies twinkling around them.

Next Day~

"Hey Sano," whispered Yahiko to the street fighter, "Do you think something happened between Kenshin and Kaoru last night?"

"Eh? No… I don't think so. Why do you ask?" He gave the young boy a puzzled look.

"Well… ever since this morning they've been exchanging glances and smiles at each other. It looks like they're finally aware of each other's feelings."

"Ya think? But I feel like Kenshin's too dense know unless Jou-chan told him flat out. But she wouldn't have the guts to do _that._"

Yahiko laughed, wiping tears away from the corners of his eyes. "I guess you right. Those two lovebirds are still as clueless as ever."

Meanwhile, Kaoru sat on the porch as Kenshin hung the washed laundry. They exchanged cheerful comments about the weather and what they'd like to eat. The placid atmosphere, however, was slashed in half when an arrow ripped through the air and struck the wood behind Kaoru, nicking the right side of her neck in the process. Moving on instinct, Kenshin's eyes darted towards the direction of the arrow's origin and saw a passing shadow of what seemed like a man. Ripping the cloth that bound his sleeves back, Kenshin sprinted after the shadow. Kaoru grabbed the note that was attached to the arrow and joined in on the chase.

Sano and Yahiko had arrived on the scene just in time to see Kaoru dashing off. In their momentary confusion, they stood like statues until Yahiko saw the foreign arrow wedged in the house. Coming to the realization that something was definitely wrong, the young boy chased after the girl with the fighter-for-hire following close behind.

Despite Kaoru's head start, Yahiko and Sanosuke managed to catch up to her. "Ya Jou-chan, what the hell is happening?" Then, he noticed blood running down her neck, staining the collar of her kimono. "You're bleeding!"

"I'll… explain after… we catch him!" Kaoru said in-between huffs, never glancing at her companions.

Slowing down to match his pace with Yahiko, Sano said, "Oi you follow Jou-chan while I get Foxface to look at her wound." Yahiko nodded and Sano quickly turned around to head towards town in search for the doctor.

* * *

><p>Kenshin pursued the shadow through the green woods, quickly catching up to the mysterious man. Once they've entered a small clearing, the shadow turned around, wielding two short swords, and proceeded to throw one in Kenshin's directions. Dodging the flying sword with ease, Kenshin unsheathed his sakabatou and knocked the masked man down in one fell swoop. As if on cue, Kaoru and Yahiko make their appearance and rush over to Kenshin's side, breathing heavily. The man at their feet lay motionless.<p>

"Kenshin?" asked Kaoru as soon as she caught her breath. The red head nodded and bent down to remove the mask. Much to their disappointment, they uncovered an unfamiliar face. Kenshin began to question him: Who are you? Who sent you? What is your purpose? However, all the stranger spouted was random nonsense. He laughed insanely, squirming on the ground before shouting, "Kya hahahaha! You've stepped into the trap! She'll die! Another victim… another victim… the butterflies have been ignited!" He made a grab for Kaoru, but failed miserably and flopped over onto his stomach. Turning on his side, the stranger writhed in pain and continued to shout, "DIE! I don't want to die! Why? You green clothed bastard! Kill her now what don't you! Kill her now, K-" and with that he died before finishing his sentence. The trio present stood in shock; Kenshin wrapped his arms around Kaoru and pulled her close to cover the corpse from her view.

At that moment, Sano appeared with Megumi who was holding her medical kit. Breathing heavily, the couple came over to access the situation. While Yahiko explained what had happened, Megumi tended to the wound on Kaoru's neck and then proceeded to inspect the dead corpse.

"Poison…" the young doctor simply stated after thoroughly examining the dead body, "Either he took it when Ken-san was chasing him to avoid giving away details or someone had injected it into him prior his mission." She stood up and faced the group. "It's much more likely that someone had given it to him." Her gaze hardened at that thought.

"Ah Kaoru-dono," exclaimed Kenshin as he remembered something.

"Yes?" she replied.

"Was there something attached to the arrow?"

Kaoru, who had forgotten about the note, looked down at her hand. Clasped in her fist was a white piece of paper folded several times over. Slowly, she unfolded it and read aloud its content: _I'm closer than you think, girl. The past is going to catch up with the remainder of the Kamiya line soon. Your time is almost up" _

A shiver ran down Kaoru's spine even though it was a rather warm day.

"Have you received other notes, Kaoru-dono?" The girl nodded and told them about the first: _Kamiya Koshijiro and Kamiya Kiyoko's daughter will soon meet her demise in the origin. You will suffer greatly, just as what your existence has done for me. _

Attached to the first note was a lock of ebony hair much like her own.

Hearing this, the group gasped in shock and Kenshin's face darkened. _Why? _He thought. _Why would someone be so disgusted of Kaoru-dono that he would want her to die? _

"Alright," said Megumi, "Tell us your story." The other girl nodded and told Megumi, Sanosuke, and Yahiko the shortened version of the love triangle between her parents and the man named Nobuo.

"So all this is about love?" squawked Yahiko. Personally, he thought it was a completely absurd reason.

Ignoring Yahiko's comment, Megumi asked, "Do you think it could be Nobuo himself?"

"No Megumi-san," replied Kenshin, "Nobuo should be dead, or at the very least, a very old man. I do not think he is capable of such a feat."

"But if he has money, he could easily hire someone to carry out his plans."

"He didn't get the money," interjected Kaoru, "Dr. Gensai said that after his younger sibling married before him, the inheritance went to his younger siblings instead of him. Apparently, Nobuo didn't get a single yen."

"Then where did he go afterwards?" asked Sano.

"I'm not sure. Dr. Gensai said he disappeared into thin air. There were rumors that he went to the shore and killed himself, or that he left with a group of passing wanderers, or that he took what little amount of money he had and fled to Hok…" Kaoru was interrupted when a snap of a twig was heard in the distance.

"Who's there?" they all said simultaneously. From behind a tree, Katsu stepped out and greeted them with a smile.

"Now, now. What's with this hostile atmosphere?" he said while walking towards the group.

"How did you get here?" questioned Kenshin as he and Sano moved in front of the group.

"Well well you know just strolling through the woods, listening to the birds. And then I heard some noise coming from this direction and decided to check things out 'tis all."

Not believing a single word that came out of the man's mouth, Kenshin continued to ask the man, "How long have you been standing there?"

"I just got here after all that running." This they knew was a lie because Nobuo was not breathing heavily nor sweating. Not wanting a fight to break out, Kaoru placed a hand on both man's shoulders and whispered softly so that only they would hear, "I'll go talk to him. You guys should make a grave for him so that he would be able to pass on in peace." She walked towards Nobuo before Kenshin could protest.

"Yahiko, please follow Kaoru-dono." The young boy nodded and ran off. While Kaoru talks with Nobuo, the others created a grave for the stranger on the edge of the clearing and gave him their prayers. Just as they were finished, a loud smack was heard from where the other trio was talking. They saw Yahiko falling to the ground and Kaoru, who stared in shock, turned angrily towards Nobuo and raised her hand to slap him. However, Nobuo caught her hand before it made impact and she struggled to make him let go. In a split second, Kenshin is by Kaoru's side and he used his sheathed sakabatou to knock the man's hand off Kaoru's.

Unaffected by the red-head's speed, Kaoru quickly turned to Yahiko, seeing if he was okay. Megumi and Sano got to where the conflict was then. Sano placed himself next to Kenshin, both in an offensive stance facing Nobuo. Instead of looking scared or reaching towards his sword that saw on his left hip, Nobuo merely put his hands into his sleeves and laughed into the sky, walking off towards the woods.

"Nobuo!" shouted Kaoru, "Where are you going? You never answered anything!"

"Blame that brat for being there then."

"What are you talking about?" hollered Yahiko, who was being treated by Megumi, "If I hadn't been there you would've… Ouch! That hurts!" He frowned at the doctor who scolded him for moving so much. Kaoru got up with the intention of making Nobuo talk.

"See you later Kaoru. Maybe next time then." With that, the man walked off into the darker part of the woods.

"Well… What was that?" pondered Sano, rubbing the back of his head with his hand.

"Something Kaoru should explain," answered Megumi. "Now what the heck happened when we were giving the stranger our blessings?"

Apparently, Kaoru had confronted Nobuo in a rather straightforward manner. She quickly asked him how long he has been spying on them and how he got to the clearing. Caught off guard by the questions, Nobuo simply said that he saw them running out of the house and followed. He found them during Kaoru's story about her parents past and the rest was as followed. However, both Kaoru and Yahiko knew that they exited through the back of the dojo and the young boy rejected that statement. Annoyed at him, Nobuo changed his story to him walking into the woods because he thought he saw some animal and then spotted Kaoru running. The story was frowned upon and the excuses grew more creative. Finally, Yahiko interrupted the man and accused him openly of being a creeper and had something planned. That's when Nobuo's fist connected to Yahiko's cheek.

"Nobuo-san is indeed a violent man…" sighed Kenshin, still bothered about the entire situation and inwardly thought _There's something else isn't there_. The others agreed with his statement and decided to head back to Kaoru's dojo, after Kaoru and Yahiko made their blessings to the dead stranger. On their trip back, Yahiko suddenly remembered something; the other side of the man's sleeve was green, but this information was not passed onto the others because it was forgotten after Kaoru nudged him on the back, telling him he was moving too slowly.

"Busu…" he muttered.

* * *

><p>Alright-y so this is the end of this chapter and since it's two in the morning for me, my grammarstory-telling ability/proof-reading is at a minimum right now. I'm sorry if something became confusing or redundant or didn't really make sense '' If any, state your confusions with this chapter in reviews or something and I'll get back to you as soon as I can! See you in a few weeks ^^''


	8. A Nightmare Come True

BWAHAHAHA I'm back! (with a new chapter!) Hmm… I wonder what will happen now~ Sorry for the long wait!

* * *

><p>After the strange encounter, several weeks pass by and there is no sign of Katsu. It was almost as if he had merged himself with the shadows after walking into the forest and is now waiting for the perfect moment to squash the mirage of peace at the dojo. Thus, beneath the surface of the smiling Kamiya Kaoru was a soul in blinded turmoil. It was inevitable.<p>

Trapped in a constant state of worry and baseless fear, Kaoru was near her limit. A week prior, the young girl began to have violent nightmares that had her thrashing around in her slumber and waking up in a mess. Kenshin appointed himself the task of attending to Kaoru whenever she moved around while sleeping It had been bad enough that once, the man needed to tackle the girl and hold her down while Yahiko went to bring Megumi to her. Kaoru had sleepwalked into one of the storage rooms and began to break anything her hands touched thus injuring herself.

That was the worst it had gotten, but with Kenshin by Kaoru's side each night while she fell asleep, she gradually became less restless. "Don't worry Kaoru-dono," Kenshin whispered to the sleeping girl, "I'll definitely protect you no matter what."

xxXxx

The following evening, Yahiko was walking back to the dojo after finishing his part-time job at the Akabeko. He was whistling a short tune he learned from Tsubame and carrying some wrapped leftovers back to Kenshin and Kaoru. Suddenly sensing an odd presence, he quickly turned around and shouted, "Who's there?" Seeing no one in the dusk lit street, he scowled and began to walk again when out of nowhere, a sack was placed over his head. Yahiko punched and kicked randomly, hoping to touch his kidnapper, but it was futile because he soon fell unconscious after taking a hit at the base of his neck. The kidnapper quickly carried the boy away and all that was left at the scene was the spilled food and birds that gathered to begin a feast.

xxXxx

"Mou…" complained Kaoru to Kenshin the next morning, "Where did that Yahiko go? Not coming home last night was already worth scolding him for, but being late for morning practice? That's just rude and disrespectful!" She placed her hands on her hips and fumed.

"Now, now, Kaoru-dono. Please calm down," replied Kenshin as he sweat-dropped, "I'm sure he just overslept at Sano's and is now rushing back."

"He better be or else he'll face my wrath!" The vile look on Kaoru's face even had the ex-manslayer move a few inches back; hoping he would blend with the scenery and avoid any misdirected fury.

"_Yahiko…_" thought Kenshin to himself, "_You better hurry back or else you'll really lose some hair this time!_"

After a few minutes, the young girl slowly calmed down. "Ne Kenshin…you wouldn't think something… might've happened to Yahiko… would you?"

But before Kenshin had a chance to respond, a pigeon landed itself several feet away from the couple and it looked at them. Noticing the scrap of paper attached to its ankle, the rurouni (while trying to be a little goofy in hopes of cheering Kaoru up) went near the bird and made a grab for it. The pigeon dodged the man and landed next to Kaoru, leaving an "oro-ing" Kenshin on the ground. The mistress chuckled and proceeded to detach the note off the messenger and read the words that were written within. "Kenshin!" she gasped in horror, "Look!" The man quickly became serious and took the note from Kaoru.

"I have your precious apprentice. If you want him to live, come to through the forest and find us." That was all it said.

"Kaoru-dono, let us go now!" The girl nodded and grabbed her bokken. Quickly, they ran through the thick forest, skillfully avoiding the branches and roots that seemed to hold the desire to slow them down and prevent them from reaching their destination. After a full nerve-wrecking hour, the couple reached a split in the road; one leading towards a dark cave and the other towards a broken down shed.

"Kenshin, should we split up to cover more ground?"

"Kaoru-dono I do not think that is wise to do. Yahiko's kidnapper might be waiting to ambush us." _And I'd prefer to be there if that happens, _Kenshin finished in thoughts.

"What if there's a tr…" Kenshin cut Kaoru off by motioning her to be quiet.

"Kaoru-dono can you hear that?" She closed her eyes and focused on the sounds around her. In the distance, she could hear muffled cries. Kaoru exchanged looks with Kenshin and without making a sound, dashed towards the shed. Kaoru banged on the door and tried to turn the knob, but it did not show any signs of budging.

"Yahiko? Yahiko! Is that you? Give us a moment, we're breaking in!"

"Kaoru-dono, allow me to…" The young girl ignored her companion and kicked the door down in one-shot. "Break the door." Although, Kenshin sweat-dropped at the girl's tomboyish ways, inwardly, he fell deeper in admiration for her.

"Yahiko!" she exclaimed after the debris cleared up. The young boy was tied up on the floor with a piece of thick cloth stuffed into his mouth. His eyes were wide and he kept on shaking his head at them while struggling against the ropes. However, Kaoru failed to notice that and hurriedly ran to his side.

"Wait Kaoru-dono!" screamed Kenshin as Kaoru moved forward. He reached to grab for her arm, but it was too late. The floor wobbled and then collapsed underneath them and the trio fell downwards towards the abyss.

xxXxx

The air was foggy, smelled of musk, and filled with dust. Kenshin sat up slowly and looked around. They had fallen at least 10 feet from the surface. _Where're Kaoru and Yahiko?! _thought a panicked Kenshin. He saw them to his right and scurried over, ignoring the slight pain in his left ankle. Kaoru had her arms protectively around the boy and they laid under several pieces of broken planks. The rurouni called their names and tried to wake them up while lifting the light wood off of them, but they wouldn't stir. Slowly, even he began to feel sleepy and fatigued. _Crap, there's something in the air here… _Kenshin struggled to keep his eyes open, but he soon fell down next to the others and before falling unconscious, Kenshin heard a sick cackling that came from above and was too close for comfort.

* * *

><p>Wow… this was a lot shorter than I'd thought it'd be. Anyways until next time! (And to prevent me from taking another 2 months I'll be starting the next chapter now!) Reviews are nice… hehe<p>

Note: Kaoru has nightmares and is like that in the beginning of this chapter because Nobuo was someone she trusted and never imagined him containing such an odd behavior. In other words, she's unconsciously afraid of him and what he would do to the people around her. I don't know I thought it might've been confusing for her to randomly start having nightmares and such so I decided to explain it here.

Also... I just realized that I mixed up Nobuo and Katsu To make things clear (mostly to myself *nervous laughter*) Nobuo = present; Katsu=past


	9. All Tied Up

So Kenshin, Kaoru, and a tied up Yahiko all fell down a hole and fainted. What happens when they wake up?

**Glossary:**

Velvet flowers – _Amaranthus caudatus_, a.k.a. "love-lies-bleeding"; it symbolizes hopelessness

Mint – symbolizes suspicion

Uwagi – The white top of Kaoru's training attire

Nobuo – means faithful and trustworthy

* * *

><p>Inside a large, Western style mansion located on the peaceful outskirts of Edo, the rooms are dimly lit by the blinding sunlight that rested in the sky just above the house. In one of the numerous rooms, an unconscious Kenshin and Yahiko are each tied up to wooden chairs. Their arms are wrapped around the back of the brown seat with their wrists bound tautly by ropes; their ankles were tied to the legs of the chair. A clock's constant ticking eventually stirred Kenshin and he groaned as he slowly became more awake. His violet eyes fluttered open and took in his surroundings. The center of the room held large couches, desks, a small table that held an expensive looking vase filled with velvet flowers and accompanied by what looked like mint leaves. The walls were all filled with paintings and lined with shelves, except for one which had a large window hidden behind reddish brown curtains laced in gold thread. On one of the shelves lies Kenshin's sakabatou and Kaoru's bokken.<p>

That blew away the remaining fog in Kenshin's mind. He looked to his immediate left and right and only saw a still sleeping Yahiko. "Yahiko! Yahiko!" he screamed in a hush voice while struggling against the ropes. Kenshin was afraid that if they were too loud, someone might come in and knowing he wasn't in any position to fight or defend, the rurouni wanted to avoid that possibility as much as possible. Thankfully, it didn't take long to bring the boy into reality.

"Ken…shin?" he said groggily.

"Are you all right?"

"Yeah, I'm alright. But my head hurts. What happened? Where are we?"

"It seems that someone kidnapped you and used you to lure Kaoru-dono and I out. We fell for their trap," he replied glumly. _If only I was able to stop Kaoru-dono…_

"Kaoru… then where's Kaoru, Kenshin? I… I remember that we fell together. She took the impact of the fall for me. Kaoru must be injured!" Panic crossed both of the male's faces, but Kenshin quickly hid it.

"Then we must hurry," said Kenshin darkly before swinging his arms forward to remove the knots at his ankles.

"Wait, how did you do that?!" exclaimed Yahiko. He was sure that the older man was tied up the same way as he was. Kenshin freed himself from the stiff chair and began to untie Yahiko.

"While you were waking up, I found a splint in the back of the chair. I used it to cut the ropes," Kenshin said nonchalantly while loosening the last rope that held Yahiko to his chair. "Let's go now."

The young boy nodded back in amazement. While Yahiko went towards the door, Kenshin went to the shelf and checked his sword. Seeing that it was in perfect condition, he slid it to its rightful position on his waist and took Karou's bokken. He stared at it longingly, wondering whether or not she was alright.

"Kenshin! The door's locked! I think we need to break it down." The rurouni walked over and agreed with the boy. Giving the bokken to Yahiko, Kenshin drew his blade, reversed it, sliced the door clean in half, and used his foot to break through. He swallowed a wince when he placed all of his body weight on his left foot. After stepping out into the corridor, they went to search every nook and cranny of the mansion. They found furniture upon furniture, but no signs of Kaoru and their captor. Hell, there wasn't even a single soul in the gargantuan estate! Kenshin became more flustered as they opened door after door and there still wasn't any sign of anything. Finally, the trap door beneath the stairs was discovered by Yahiko and the two of them together pulled it up to reveal a pair of stairs going downward. Peering in, they could see faint torches luminously lighting the secret passageway. Yahiko and Kenshin looked at each other and nodded, knowing they were both thinking the same thing. Cautiously, they entered; Kaoru and their captor would be at the end of the tunnel.

xxXxx

Kaoru woke up with a start. Sweat ran down her temples and a cold chill trespassed through her sore spine. She was tied to a wooden chair in a dark and damp cellar that smelled of iron and humidity. The only thing she could see was a small light in the distance and nothing else. Kaoru struggled against the ropes that bound her to the chair and managed to get the ones around her foot loose, but then, she heard a door open and close; she froze. She saw a figure with another light approaching the one she could see and when the figure turned the corner to meet her, Kaoru's eyes widened in shock.

"Nobuo…" she breathed out in astonishment, but quickly regained her composure. She needed to focus; this man was dangerous.

"Hello Kaoru-chan. Welcome to my house." He gave her a devilish smirk.

"Sorry for intruding…" she muttered back while glaring at him. "Where are Kenshin and Yahiko? If they're hurt, you'll pay for it dearly."

"Well hasn't this little girl grown… threatening someone as soon as you see them."

"Answer me, Nobuo. Where are they?"

"Who knows. But I'm sure they'll come soon enough," he shrugged at her and began to light up the other torches, illuminating the whole room for Kaoru to see. There were stacks of spears and poorly made swords lined up here and there; the floor was caked with dust and dirt and she could see a rat-like creature move beneath it. Chains hung from the low ceiling and when everything was light enough for her to see, streaks of dried blood coated the walls in patterns. "Isn't this place just lovely, Kaoru? I've been dying to show it to you."

She wanted to vomit. Everything about her situation right now just made her completely nauseous. Was this really the young boy she knew from her days training at the dojo? "I'm charmed…" she spat out in reply.

"Now that you've seen this place, why don't you answer a few of my questions?" Nobuo walked closer towards her and kneeled down so that they were at the same height. Kaoru fought back the urge to spit in his face. Why would he need to place her friend's lives in jeopardy just for her to answer a few of his questions? "Where can I find your father?" _That_ was his question?! Why the hell did he need to see her father?

"Why do you need to see him?" Nobuo slapped her across the face; he wasn't going to let the girl waste any of his time.

"_I_ ask the questions here. _You_ only need to answer them. Now tell me, where can I find that bastard?"

Blood dripped down the corner of her mouth. "I won't let you find him…" Nobuo grabbed the collar of her _uwagi_ and forced Kaoru to look into his eyes. He repeated the question, but Kaoru's answer was still the same. "I won't let you disturb his grave."

Hearing this, Nobuo froze. Dead? There was no way he could be dead! He hasn't fulfilled his goal yet! He shook the girl violently. "You're lying! He has to be alive… how could he be dead…?"

"I'm not lying. He was summoned to help during the war and he died." Nobuo loosened his grip and sank down. He asked about her mother. "She became very sickly after giving birth to me. She passed on shortly after my father left." Nobuo was at a lost. What should he do now? It hadn't occurred to him that both of her parents would already be dead. Should Kaoru fulfill her parent's position then? He may have despised Kaoru (since she was the Kamiya heir and despite being a girl, she was always stronger than him in kenjutsu), but it wasn't her fault... was it?

Feeling his anger dissipate, Kaoru decided to ask him why he needed to see her father. "For revenge," Nobuo replied. "Do you know the story of how your parents met?" She slowly nodded, now curious to know what he had to do with the meeting of her parents. "Well… then you must know about Nakamura Katsu. He's my father."

"Your… he's your _father_?" It took a moment before that simple fact could be fully taken in by Kaoru. "If he was your father, then why did you attend our dojo? That doesn't make sense!"

"But it does. My father sent me there to become close to you and your family so that we can tear it apart from the inside. Obviously, it didn't go as planned. You know, he said to me that it was an expected result."

"And that's why you left before finishing your training… but I still have another question. I heard that Katsu went to Hokkaido. There wasn't anything about him coming back to Edo."

"That's because he didn't. He sent my mother, who was still pregnant at the time, back here. He was looking for the ruby butterfly… for your mother." She gave him a quizzical look; he sighed in an annoyed tone. "You always need everything explained. My father had hoped that by finding and presenting the hairpin to your mother that everything will be reversed, that she will go live with him instead of your father. And yes, I know I said before that I was the one looking for it, but that was a lie. I had originally wanted to use that story to lure you and your parents out, but seeing the man that was next to you, I changed my mind. Got it now?"

"But why are you the one looking for revenge instead of Katsu?" The calmness in Nobuo faded and his violent nature ate away his patience. He was being questioned, and he didn't like it.

"Why you ask me? Because my whole life has been trapped in the depths of Hell! Everyday, being treated as some tool and taking commands from letters…_letters_. My father only visited us when he only felt it was necessary and when did he feel it was necessary? When we decide to stop following his orders and live a normal life. It was _your_ fault that we couldn't live a normal life. It was the Kamiya's fault that we were chained to that monster." A dozen emotions flickered across his glazed eyes until it settled onto one feeling, bloodthirsty. "And you'll be the one to pay for this dearly."

Kaoru tried to sit further back in her chair and she struggled against the ropes that bound her wrists. She had to get away from this man and find the others! She heard a door open in the distance. "Well, looks like they finally decided to join the party," scoffed Nobuo. "Why don't we give them a greeting, Kaoru-chan."

xxXxx

Kenshin and Yahiko slowly stepped down the spiraling stairs, with Kenshin leading. They strained to hear what was going on at the bottom, but Kenshin could only pick up faint murmurs. Before they reached the last steps, the duo heard a man say, "Hurry and come out now. I know you're there. Wouldn't want to keep the lady waiting, now would you?" Exchanging glances, they hurriedly rushed down the stairs and stopped when they saw Kaoru and their captor. Nobuo was standing behind Kaoru with a short dagger positioned at the base of her neck. "Welcome to my home."

* * *

><p>So this story is coming to its end… (Or is it?) and I would just like to thank my reviewers and readers :] Every time I open up my e-mail and see a new notification for reviews I always get that happy feeling in my chest. So I would just like to thank you all and I've been telling myself to do this at the end of every chapter I post, but then the ideas for the next pop into my head before I even finish the chapter so everything just ends up rushed and incorrect. (Like me switching up Nobuo and Katsu… sorry if that was confusing!) Anyways I'll try my best to keep the plot as suspenseful and entertaining as I possibly can and I hope you'll enjoy reading it! Thank you for your time! (=^^=)<p>

If I have any grammatical errors or misusage of words please notify me! (Or if something doesn't make sense) It could prove to improve my vocabulary and speech.

By the way, Nobuo was PMSing at the end. He's just this weird dude who can't control his emotions... :P


	10. Nobuo vs Kaoru!

Hello! How's everyone been? I'm sorry I took so long to update, but I haven't had a single minute to myself until now since school's started… I also can't seem to leave my part-time job (which fills up all my free time) because apparently, no one can pack Chinese take-out correctly. I could go on a whole rant about this, but I'd rather move on and not bore you guys to tears.

Recap: Kenshin and Yahiko wake up in a room. They free themselves and search for Kaoru and finds a secret staircase. Kaoru wakes up in a dungeon and talks with an emotionally unstable Nobuo. Everyone comes together and voilá, drama!

Disclaimer: Nope, RuroKen definitely does not belong to me. Now on with the story~!

* * *

><p>Nobuo looked at the two young men that stood before him and grinned crazily. The show was finally about to begin and the vengeance that has engulfed his life will be fulfilled and he will no longer feel the need to linger in Edo. "Welcome to my home," he said insanely, mocking them for being so easily taken. They both tensed after hearing his words and the red-head placed his hand on the hilt of his sword. "Now, let's not be impatient," he said as he tightened the grip he had on the girl's shoulder, "The time for our swords has yet to ripen. Why don't you tell me how you liked my mansion? I'm sure you've looked through all the rooms already."<p>

"Oh gee it was terrific," replied Yahiko sarcastically as he leaned both his shinai and Kaoru's bokken on his shoulders. "There was just so much of the same thing to look at that I thought I was trapped in a dream or something."

"I wasn't talking to you, you little twerp. You wouldn't know anything about class."

"Well you asked and I answered. Besides, I don't need to know anything about 'class' to know that you have none."

"Why you little…" Nobuo's neck and ears were turning crimson, "Don't be so arrogant when you can't even escape without someone coming to your rescue! Learn some manners, kid!"

"Alright then we should learn together."

"I'm a grown _man_. I don't need to learn manners from anyone."

"You're a man? Are you sure? 'Cause you sound a whole lot more like a brat to me." The two continued to bicker until Nobuo looked like an overripe cherry. He knew he should've killed the kid when he had the chance; but no, he had thought it would a better idea after he gets Kamiya out of the picture in front of them. Man did he regret that foolish decision!

Kaoru was having a rather difficult time between trying to suppress her laughter at Yahiko's comments to swallowing the cries of pain that followed through. Every time the young boy responded, Nobuo would tighten his grip on her already bruised shoulder. It felt as though he was trying to rip her arm out of its socket. When she stopped paying attention to the quarrel that was happening, Kaoru realized that Kenshin had been unusually quiet. She bit her lip, opened her eyes and looked at Kenshin before the pain would force them shut again. Kenshin she thought looked… distant. His amethyst eyes were glazed over and his body stayed in its rigid position, with the exception of his rattling sword. Kaoru felt the tip of the dagger dig into her neck as Yahiko added more fuel to Nobuo's rage and she had to close her eyes to handle the agonizing sensations that followed. When she looked back at Kenshin again, amber tainted the violet lividly.

xXxXxXx

The moment Kenshin saw Nobuo with Kaoru, his mind disconnected with his body. He couldn't comprehend the situation, or more like, he didn't _want_ to. He didn't want to see Kaoru tied up and helpless; he didn't want her in the hands of danger. Yet he couldn't do a blasted thing to get Nobuo and his dagger away from Kaoru. Kenshin felt the guilt wash over him and it was suffocating. He was choking with every breath he took as he remembered how he had failed to stop Kaoru and himself from failing into that trap. A fog formed in his mind and the heated quarrel between Yahiko and Nobuo was nothing but remote, muffled voices that lagged with each passing second. His whole body felt numb and the images he saw swirled into a sea of murky scarlet around one single person. _Kaoru-dono… Kaoru-dono…Kaoru._ He felt himself sway and it became more violent when he saw Kaoru wince in pain and blood began to make its way down her neck. His heart seemed to shudder and disintegrate. _Kaoru…!_

xXxXxXx

Kaoru was stunned. She could sense Kenshin's urge to kill slowly rise to the surface and she feared he would do something he'll regret and once again become a wandering soul. Her sore heart tugged at her body to move, to do something besides sitting down and waiting for someone to come to her rescue like a useless damsel in distress. And then, the perfect opportunity came; Yahiko had exasperated Nobuo to the extent that he took the blade away from Kaoru and walked towards Yahiko, swearing he'll slit his throat if he didn't shut up and beg for mercy. Once he stood in front of her, Kaoru kicked free of the ropes she had loosened earlier and thrust them at the back of Nobuo's knees. As he buckled, she lifted the chair and spun 360°; the legs of the seat collided with Nobuo's side, thus sending him sprawling on the floor and flinging the dagger to the opposite wall.

"Kaoru, you have to teach me that move at our next lesson!" the young boy exclaimed as he undid the knots on Kaoru's wrists. She replied with a smile and once the chair was no longer bound to her, Kaoru hurried over to Kenshin's side and called out to him. He turned his head to meet her eyes, and she shuddered when she saw deep amber stare back at her.

"Kenshin? Kenshin, are you alright? Come on, let's get out of here. Kenshin!" He didn't respond; he only stared at her with those cold, cold eyes…

xXxXxXx

Kenshin couldn't pull himself out of the crimson fog. He knew Kaoru was safe and standing right next to him; he had seen her brilliant attack just now. But something in the back of his mind urged him to unsheathe his sword. _I* must protect Kaoru,_ his brain reiterated. _I* must._ But shield her from what? Didn't the danger pass already? _I* must protect her from that man… he is still a threat..._ _A threat... A threat to the peaceful Meiji!_ He felt his feet move. No… it couldn't possibly be! Would he kill again? A tremor passed down his spine and the weight of his sakabatou was more pronounced than ever. His clouded vision blurred and he forced himself to stop moving. If he didn't move, he wouldn't be able to hurt anyone. "Kenshin." A voice traveled through his clogged ears. "Kenshin, what's wrong?" He willed the fog to clear so he could find his voice and respond to her question; to tell her there was nothing wrong and he was glad she was safe.

"I* can't let that man live. He'll tarnish the peace of the Meiji… he'll hurt the ones I* love. I have to eliminate him." Wait, that's not what he wanted to say! Although he agreed that Nobuo would most likely cause grief and chaos to the people around him, Kenshin wouldn't want him dead. What on earth was he saying?!

"Kenshin, it's alright. You don't have to kill," he felt a hand cover his left cheek; "You don't need to kill anyone for peace. Please, come back Kenshin."

A small amount of the fog that floated in front of his eyes cleared and he saw her. Kaoru's eyes were watery and were filled with concern and empathy, no doubt for him. Kenshin could feel one of his arms shift and his hand covered hers. He stared into her blue eyes until the haze dissipated and violet returned to his irises.

"Kaoru-dono…" he croaked. His throat felt raw and dry.

"Oh thank goodness!" Kaoru cried out in joy, "Kenshin, are you alright now?"

"Yes… I am. I'm sorry Kaoru-dono. I'm so sorry."

"Kenshin there's no need to apologize. Come on, let's get out of here. We have to catch up with Yahiko; he went to look for a way out." Kenshin let Kaoru drag him through the long corridors of the house. He had only realized then that they were no longer inside that dank dungeon and that when he felt his body move before, it was Kaoru pulling him along.

The couple bumped into Yahiko as they turned the corner. He excitedly told them that the exit from the mansion was on the second level. The building had been designed so that there were five levels; a dungeon, a ground floor, a second level, and so forth. The main entrance (which was a pair of grand stairs that led to a decorative front door) was placed on the second level because that was where the party rooms were built. The young boy explained to them that they had to take the main stairs and then go through two different rooms before they would finally reach the front door and then follow the dirt path home. Although the directions were simple, the winding corridors made the way to the stairs confusing and tiring. Thankfully, years of kenjutsu training built up their stamina and they were able to make it to the second level without being exhausted.

They quickly found their way to the first room, which was easily the size of Kaoru's home, and crossed it to the second one effortlessly. It was then that the question buried in the back of Kenshin's mind decided it was time it found its answer.

"Kaoru-dono what about Nobuo-san then?" he asked as they scurried through what seemed like a ball room. There were high pillars that were lined against the white walls and windows that reached from the floor to the ceiling. There were brilliant crystal chandeliers that hung majestically over the marble floors and the sunlight that entered the room glittered off of them.

"Nobuo is…"

"Right here," finished a male voice. Nobuo stepped out from the shadows created by the massive pillars and turned to face the trio with his unsheathed sword; they stopped in their tracks. "Why are you leaving so suddenly? I haven't even given you the proper welcome."

"Nobuo, what do you want with us?" asked Kaoru as she glared at the madman. "Revenge won't do anything to change the past. It will only destroy the present and the future."

"Oh don't be so sure about that, Kaoru. Revenge can do plenty to satisfy this burning in my heart." He walked closer and raised his sword to point at Kaoru, "Why don't we have a duel."

"You're not giving me a choice, are you…"

"No, I am. It's just that there's only one. Now come out and fight me!"

"And it's not much of a choice," muttered Yahiko under his breath as he handed Kaoru her bokken.

"Wait, Kaoru-dono. Why don't you let me fight him. I do not believe you're in the condition to wield a sword."

"Thank-you Kenshin for your offer, but I should be the one saying that. Your ankle is already swollen and I fear that if you put anymore pressure on it, it would not heal." Kenshin looked down on his ankle and began to feel the horrible throbbing. She was right; his foot would not be able to take much from the Hiten Mitsurugi-Ryuu before it would break. "Don't worry, I'll be fine. And besides, this is my fight and only I can properly end it." With that, she marched on forward to face Nobuo.

"Glad you didn't run away."

"If I do, then this could happen all over again. I cannot let Yahiko and Kenshin be in any kind of danger."

"How noble… then let's end this, Kamiya."

Wood met metal as the weapons clashed together. Nobuo thought it was odd that her bokken wasn't sliced in half and after careful observation of the next few minutes, he realized she was cutting his sword on a slant so that her bokken wouldn't be affected by the blade. Gritting his teeth, he needed to think of another way he could cut away her weapon and realized that if he swiped his sword vertically down, there was no way the bokken could possibly deflect that. He gave it a try after pushing Kaoru back and plunged the sword downwards. Unfortunately, he failed to remember that one of the basic techniques in the Kamiya Kasshin-Ryuu was the _hadome_. Kaoru crossed her arms, caught the blade with the back of her hands, pushed it aside to knock Nobuo off balance and stuck him under the arm. Her shoulder throbbed terribly as a result, but at least she got a good hit.

Nobuo desperately tried to regain his balance and ignored the pain of the impact. He glared viciously at Kaoru and saw that her injuries had taken a toll on her stamina. She was beginning to pant and her body swayed subtly every now and then. He looked for an opening and lunged the moment he saw it when Kaoru swayed a little to the right. "I've got you now, Kamiya!" he shouted as his sword came crashing down. Kaoru brought the bokken up to meet the attack and as a result it was sliced on contact. If she hadn't done that, Kaoru would have gotten much more than a scratch on the top of her left shoulder.

Changing into a defensive stance, Kaoru observed Nobuo and calculated her next step. With half a bokken, it would be hard to land a strike while staying out of his range. Finally she decided to go around the back and look for an opening. First circling Nobuo, she then rapidly ran towards him with her sword posed on her side; she dodged his large swing with ease and then sliced him across the back. Nobuo toppled to the ground.

Kaoru stood over him and pointed her wooden sword over his back. "It's over, Nobuo."

The man gave a quiet laugh and turned to look at the girl. "You think you've won? Think again!" He threw his sword up and Kaoru had to block the sudden attack with her arm. Nobuo lifted his lower body and kicked Kaoru's torso. Luckily, the girl was able to block his feet with most of her forearms, but the impact still sent her staggering backwards. Nobuo grabbed his sword and proceeded to land continuous attacks on Kaoru. Bit by bit, her bokken was reduced to shavings and what was left was only the hilt of the wood.

Now, Kaoru was backed up against a pillar and the odds were against her. In the background, Kenshin and Yahiko were rather preoccupied and looked as if they would jump into the fight at any moment. However, Kaoru's glare kept them there and they understood that if they were to help her, it would not only hurt her pride, but it would tell her that they didn't trust her to defend herself when the situation was dire. Thus, the duo was only able to watch from the sidelines.

Bringing her focus back on the man in front of her, Kaoru prepared for another strike. Nobuo struck on a slant and it made it difficult for Kaoru to evade the blade. It took a few more dodges and a few more cuts before the girl could see an opening. As the man swung down, she darted downwards to the side and with the hilt of her bokken, rammed it into the back of his right knee. The bones and muscle creaked and snapped under the sudden pressure. Nobuo fell to the ground whilst groaning in pain; the fight was finally over.

Kaoru leaned against an untainted pillar to catch her breath and Kenshin and Yahiko rushed over to question her condition. "I'm alright, nothing too serious," she said with a weak smile.

"But you're all bloody and tattered Kaoru!"

"I think it'd be best if we went to see Megumi-san as quickly as possible." Seeing Kaoru's condition, Kenshin's heart wept and he went over to support her as Kaoru began to stagger towards Nobuo.

"I will after this," she replied quietly; her voice was barely above a whisper. Stepping in front of the fallen man, Kaoru simply stated, "Nobuo, can you promise me to never involve my friends in your schemes against me ever again? If you still seek revenge, then come look for me. I…" She was cut off by his unexpectedly shrill laughter.

"No, Kaoru. I wouldn't do that. I've already lost the battle I dedicated my life to. It is over." With that, Nobuo took his own sword and plunged it into his torso. Kaoru took a step forward with the word "No" on the tip of her tongue, but it never came out. Her vision had blurred and then it was reduced to darkness.

When the young girl came to, she was resting on her futon. Megumi was directly above her, changing the wrap around her upper torso.

"Oh you're awake! Wait, don't move!" exclaimed the young doctor as Kaoru tried to sit up. "I'm changing your bandages and you've lost a lot of blood. If you sit up too quickly you'll become nauseous." The girl gave a slight nod and laid still. After Megumi finished and the others joined them, Kaoru asked what had happened when she fainted.

Yahiko volunteered to explain it. "Well, after you fainted, Kenshin carried you all the way to Dr. Gensai's clinic. He and Megumi dressed your wounds before we carried you back here so that you can heal."

"How long have I been out?"

"Almost a week…"

"What about… what about Nobuo?" her eyes seemed to glaze over as if to deny the truth she already knew.

"Kaoru-dono," Kenshin answered instead because he was afraid Yahiko might say something insensitive about the situation. After all, the young boy never liked the man. "I'm afraid we couldn't save him."

"I see…" A few tears fell from the corner of her eyes, but she quickly wiped them away. "If only I were able to stop him."

"It's not your fault, Kaoru. He made that decision himself," replied Megumi. The statement didn't give much comfort to her, but by the end of the day, she had to accept it as fate. The only thing she could possibly do was grieve for his death. After all, he was a dear friend from her childhood.

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><p>This chapter… I have mixed feelings about it. One half says to rewrite the whole damn thing and the other flings my laptop into the air saying "This is fine~." Hm… please tell me what you think! I've never written fight scenes before and I would love some criticism on it (and on the plot as well). And the whole thing with Kenshin… I guess Nobuo was bad enough to make him think he was a threat to peace and definitely to Kaoru. But that whole scene just took a weird turn.<p>

And the ending of this chapter was definitely rushed, but I honestly was not sure how to end it. I thought about turning him over to the police, but then I read about how samurais would commit suicide if captured by an enemy or as a capital punishment (you know… the seppuku). So I thought that Nobuo would at least want to die "honorably" after he lost to Kaoru. Well anyways comments/criticisms are always welcome and the last chapter will be the Afterword.


	11. Afterword

_Suitopi_ – Japanese for the flower, sweet pea. It symbolizes "Good bye."

_Higanbana_ – Japanese for the flower, red spider lily. It symbolizes "Never to meet again"

Afterword:

The soft zephyrs rolled through the hills as if playing a childish game of tag. Kenshin and Kaoru's hair swayed with their engagement as the couple strolled through the tall grass. In Kaoru's arms were a bundle of _suitopis_ and _higanbanas_. Slowly, they entered a small clearing and in the clearing was a small, makeshift headstone. Kaoru choked on her own breath, her hands shaking while tears threatened to fall from her eyes. Kenshin wrapped an arm around her quivering frame and gently whispered, "Kaoru-dono, you don't have to…"

He was stopped when she placed her hand over his. "I know Kenshin. But as a friend, I need to do this. There's no one else who would." Kaoru broke away from Kenshin and slowly walked up to the grave. Bending down, she placed the bundle of flowers in front of the headstone and clasped her hands together. "Nobuo," she began, "I'm probably the last person you want to see, but I just want you to know that I still consider you a friend. Your hatred towards the Kamiya name isn't your fault, but because of it, you died an untimely death. I'll grieve for you. Even though for the past several weeks you've done misdeeds that might not be pardoned by God, I'll forgive you. I'll forgive you for everything you've done, except putting my love ones in danger… I guess that's not much forgiveness then." Kaoru sighed and tried again. "You were a good childhood friend. Remember we'd always climb the trees in my backyard and spar to pass time? My mother would make everyone rice cakes and it'd always be us who fought over the last one. Eventually we would split it in half and laugh about the silly quarrel. I'll remember that Nobuo. You'll always be alive in my memories." Kaoru paused to catch the stray tears.

"I don't have much else to say so I'll stop by again. I hope you've found peace in wherever you are. Good bye, Nobuo."

Kaoru turned and walked towards Kenshin. "Let's go home, Kenshin." She found his hand and together, they walked towards home.

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><p>Hey there! Wow… I've let this sit for so long on my computer and didn't even bother to upload it. I'm very sorry for not ending this properly ~ Well anyway, my first fanfic is officially finish! And apparently, I have another one saved up which I plan to upload as soon as I find time within my busy schedule. It'll be a Rurouni Kenshin one again and it'll be kind of dark, mysterious, and thrilling (I hope). So I hope you'll stay with me! And um… if you are interested in knowing when it'll come out, it'll probably be in NovemberDecember. I'm a senior in high school so between now and October, I'll be bombarded with college essays and trips. So I hope you're still interested by then! Thank you for reading my story and thank you for those who have followed, commented, and favorite-d my stories! Have a nice day/night everyone! ^^


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